Sitka herring fishery. The State of Alaska oversees all the rest.

Sitka herring fishery. FIRST BATCH – Sienna Reid, Kushxeet, with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska resource protection department, processes herring roe on branches this morning in front of the STA resource protection building on Mar 31, 2024 · Figure 2. So what does that mean for Sitka and Alaska’s other herring fisheries? In our five part series Phantom Fish: The return of Japan’s vanished herring industry, KCAW’s Katherine Rose went to Japan this spring to find out: Apr 11, 2023 · The frenzy around Sitka's commercial sac roe fishery overshadows a far quieter Indigenous fishing tradition that’s taken place for millennia. 16′ W long, and in the waters within 3 nmi from the Baranof Island shoreline south of the Nov 27, 2019 · The extensive report also highlights threats posed by the current state management plan to the subsistence herring roe fishery in Sitka Sound. Mar 29, 2021 · After a week on two-hour notice, the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery opened twice over the weekend. Yaaw provide sustenance in many ways. Less than half the fleet is fishing this spring, but the seiners who have stuck around have been hauling in catches every day over the last week and a half. The fishing area Apr 3, 2014 · Sitka’s commercial herring season ended on Saturday, after fishermen caught over 17,000 tons of herring in just nine days. The GHL for the 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 81,246 tons with a forecasted average weight of 120 grams, including all forecasted age classes (3-8+). An opening of the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery occurred today from 9:00 a. The catch brought the total landings since the fishery opened on Sunday to 8,500 tons, more than half of the 14,649-ton guideline harvest level. These survey flights covered Sitka Sound from Biorka Island to Krestof Sound and Cape Edgecumbe. Jan 18, 2018 · The Sitka sac roe herring fishery operates just beyond the windows where the Board of Fish is seated. Modify harvest rate control rule for Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, as follows: Our recommended solution is to implement the herring harvest control rule that is used in all areas of Southeast Alaska except Sitka Sound. Lazaria Island and Krestof Sound. Humpback whales were observed between Vitskari Rocks and Hayward Strait, with the largest With about a month to go until herring return to the Sitka area, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has announced a guideline harvest level of 36,720 tons for the Sitka Sound commercial fishery for herring “sac roe. Jan 20, 2022 · The seiner Infinite Grace pursing up during the third opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, on Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Saturday following a series of test sets conducted by the Department of Fish and Game that located marketable herring, an ADFG release stated. Image by Bethany Goodrich, Sustainable Southeast Partnership Sealaska supports the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) taking legal action against the Alaska State Fish and Game in response to its recently published 2019 herring harvest guidelines. The open area for this fishery included the waters of Deep Inlet, Aleutkina Bay, and contiguous waters south of 57°00. Herring Yaaw – the Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) – is a keystone species in Sheet’ká Ḵwáan, supporting a large and complex food web that sustains many other species. Jan 28, 2025 · Regulators in the US state of Alaska have reduced the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery’s guideline harvest level (GHL) by 55% to offer 36,720 short tons for the upcoming 2025 harvest Mar 29, 2021 · The seiner Infinite Grace pursing up during the third opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, on Wednesday, March 26, 2014. 00′ N lat, and west of 135°30. Fish ticket requirements – Each landing to a tender requires a completed fish ticket. By the end of March, fishermen had taken nearly 10,000 tons out of a whopping 81, 246 guideline harvest, or nearly 163 million pounds! The harvest is Mar 29, 2022 · The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery opened on Saturday along Kruzof Island and continued Sunday in Hayward Strait. Mar 22, 2024 · The first opening of the 2024 Sitka herring sac roe fishery will occur at 4 pm today in the Hayward Straight area. A home owned newspaper serving Sitka, AlaskaLow Catch Marks End Of 2025 Roe Season Following two weeks of consecutive fishery openings, the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is closed for the season, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is finalizing harvest data. Approximately 2 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 45,164 tons of mature herring. Twenty-eight of the 47 permit-holders participated in the Sitka roe herring fishery, taking 56% of the allowed harvest which fetched around $300 per ton on average. The emergency order corresponding with today Feb 14, 2025 · Near the end of its two-week meeting on Sunday, the Alaska Board of Fisheries considered a proposal to close off a small bay north of Sitka to commercial herring fishing. Filmed and produced by Sitka' Oldduffer. This film looks at the Dec 18, 2018 · A tribal government is filing suit against the State of Alaska, alleging mismanagement of the Sitka sac roe herring fishery. The fishing area Get a rotating selection of sustainable seafood that’s been frozen at the peak of freshness and caught by Sitka Seafood Market’s trusted partners Feb 28, 2020 · The Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery likely won’t happen this year. – Map of Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery that occurred on March 30, 2024. The GHL for the 2023 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 30,124 tons with a forecasted average weight of 134 grams, including all forecasted age classes. Sitka (about 8,000 residents) is the only large community located within the Sitka Management Area. Now there are only a few places with robust herring spawn after impacts of widespread commercial harvesting and herring rendering operations pre-statehood. Blustery weather kept most of Alaska’s halibut boats off the water for the March 14 Fish and game resources within this area are managed out of the Sitka Office of the Department of Fish and Game. And at the center of all this action is a team of biologists, whose job is to strike a balance between Mar 24, 2024 · The Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery went on two-hour notice Wednesday (3-20-24) morning. Reduce the minimum harvest rate to 10 percent and increase the threshold that allows for a fishery from 25,000 tons to 50,000 tons for the Sitka Sound herring sac Sep 12, 2024 · This commercial fisheries focus is on the herring roe, which is sought after by many species in the marine environment. The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery opened briefly yesterday from 11:45 a. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) conducts aerial, vessel, and spawn deposition surveys to track herring activity and determine the extent and density of herring spawn for the Sitka Sound area. The state regulatory group will take up herring proposals this week, and it could adopt changes to how the Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery is managed, like lowering the maximum harvest level or closing certain areas to commercial […] SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY ANNOUNCEMENT The guideline harvest level (GHL) for the 2023 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 30,124 tons with a forecasted average weight of 134 grams across all age classes. The open area for this fishery included the waters of Hayward Strait and Krestof Sound south of 57°11. until 6:00 p. At an informational meeting on Wednesday (3-19-25), Area Management Biologist Aaron Dupuis said that fewer than three processors and a limited fleet are participating this year. until 7:00 p. No herring schools were visible from the air. Every year between March and April, hundreds of thousands of herring migrate off the coast and into Southeast Alaska’s pristine waters. Eric managed a unique fishery with an extremely high level of competence and patience. This is the fourth time in six years the herring fishery has shut down before meeting the quota. The people of Sheetká have been responsible stewards of the natural resources of their customary and traditional territory since time immemorial and Join Alaskan Girls Adventures! Join the crew of the F/V Aleutian Sun for the 2024 Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery. The GHL for the 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is the Alaska’s commercial herring fisheries are under evaluation for a Responsible Fishery Management eco-certification that could boost sales and harvest of herring, says the state-run Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute that commissioned the RFM SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY UPDATE # 6 Today’s aerial survey covered Sitka Sound from Redoubt Bay to St. Brannon Finney photo The arrival of herring signals the start of Alaska’s spring fisheries, and this year’s catch levels from each of the three main I just returned from an amazing trip to Southeast Alaska. Jan 30, 2025 · Two days after the deadline for comments for the upcoming Board of Fisheries meeting in Ketchikan, Alaska Department of Fish and Game quietly revealed last week that they now believe that last year's forecast biomass of Sitka herring was an overestimate by double. Weak markets and smaller-than Mar 23, 2022 · No test fishing or fishery will occur if risk of contamination, says ADF&G Sitka Sound herring fishery Credit: KNBA SeafoodNews. Until Fish and Game closes it, the commercial fishery will be open daily from 8 a. Dec 23, 2023 · The Sitka herring are valued only for the roe (eggs); the males are regarded as bycatch and discarded along with de-egged females. Mar 30, 2023 · With a heavy heart, Jamie Ross stands at the helm of his herring fishing boat, gazing out at the horizon as though peering into an uncertain future. there are a lot of boats competing for the large schools and they basicly idle around the harbor looking for Mar 29, 2023 · Seiners caught around 650 tons of fish in the first opening of the Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery on Tuesday (5-28-23). Social media kept me connected to the outside world, feeling optimistic and giving me fomo at the same time. Apr 7, 2025 · Following two weeks of consecutive fishery openings, the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is closed for the season, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is finalizing harvest data. Two of those would have made a permanent move away from a competitive fishery. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries The arrival of herring at Sitka Sound signals the start of spring in Alaska, but the fishery that began there on March 22 has attracted little notice or interest. 5 nautical miles (nmi) of herring spawn was observed in the Magoun Islands, St. Silver Bay is owned by 600 Mar 20, 2015 · The first opening in the annual Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery Wednesday yielded 530 tons of fish in a four-hour opening west of Crow Island and Bieli Rock, the Department of Fish and Game said today. And then about another 4 hours’ notice to prep their Apr 1, 2024 · The Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery is slowing down after around a week and a half of fishing and the state has moved to open the fishery daily. Harvesting herring spawn is a specialized subsistence activity in which a relatively small number of Southeast Alaska residents harvest and distribute herring spawn widely throughout the state and Apr 4, 2024 · Sitka, Alaska (KINY) – April 3rd’s aerial survey covered Sitka Sound from Crawfish Inlet to Salisbury Sound and Shoals Point. Harvesting herring spawn is a specialized subsistence activity in which a relatively small number of Southeast Alaska residents harvest and distribute herring spawn widely throughout the state and Mar 23, 2017 · A 15-minute fishing period at Krestof Sound netted about 5,000 tons of herring Wednesday in the second opening of the Sitka Sound sac roe fishery. Jun 25, 2019 · A test set of herring is prepped for sampling by state biologists. When making this determination, the department considered: 1) vessel surveys conducted by the department beginning on March 18 indicated that there is a very large biomass of herring distributed throughout Sitka Sound; 2) schools of herring were observed within Jan 18, 2018 · The Sitka sac roe herring fishery operates just beyond the windows where the Board of Fish is seated. So they looked to Alaska, and the commercial sac roe fishery in Sitka was born. Yesterday the fishery was open from 8:00 a. the state goes out and grabs some herring and they test the roe. 21′ N lat, and east of 135°25. ” The Sitka sac roe GHL for 2025 is far lower than last year’s because a Image by Bethany Goodrich, Sustainable Southeast Partnership Sealaska supports the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) taking legal action against the Alaska State Fish and Game in response to its recently published 2019 herring harvest guidelines. Sitka Commercial Fishing. For a high resolution image, contact kathy. This alert system enables the department to open the fishery to commercial fishermen with just two hours' notice, signaling the potential start Lacking clear, scientific evidence the current level of hatchery fish is causing harm, while there is clear consensus that the fishermen in southeast rely on hatchery fish. Each spring millions of Pacific Herring return to the waters of Sitka Sound to spawn, and along with them come a fleet of commercial fishermen eager to catch them right before the females release their sistence fishery to harvest the amount of roe necessary for subsistence uses. and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced that schedule will continue on a daily basis. The department published its final fishery update for the 2023 season on Wednesday afternoon. Whales - mostly Apr 3, 2019 · The Sitka Sound herring fishery appears to be a no-go, which would be only the second time in the fishery’s 43-year history. Jan 3, 2024 · A home owned newspaper serving Sitka, AlaskaSTA, which claims the commercial sac roe fishery is harmful to herring stocks and the subsistence roe harvest in Sitka Sound, filed the original claim against the state and the Department of Fish and Game in 2018. Fishery area maps – Direct distribution of fishery area maps will be done via email and advisory announcement system if possible. And while most crew members work on the water, spotter pilots fish for ABSTRACT In Sitka, Alaska a large annual commercial herring sac roe fishery is followed by the region’s large traditional herring egg harvest fishery. ADF&G has guidelines for herring size and roe maturity, but ultimately the market plays a major role in whether the commercial harvest takes place. until 5:00 p. The tribe filed a lawsuit with the Superior Court citing the state for mismanagement of the fishery. The open area for this fishery included the waters of Sitka Sound north of 56°50. 059), Waters closed to herring fishing in Southeastern Alaska Area (5 AAC 27. short tons) in 1997 based on 25% of the Mar 27, 2021 · After a week on two hour notice, the Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery opened twice over the weekend. There are three herring fisheries in Alaska – Sitka; Togiak, which is in Bristol Bay; and Kodiak – all of which have experienced historically large runs in recent years. Herring seiners had about 2-days’ notice to get to Sitka. 1 nmi of mapped herring spawn in Sitka Sound, approximately 27. I’ve made several trips to photograph the fleet in action, which is generally a “hurry up and wait” experience as the fleet waits for the opening announcement by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Certain species are more plentiful than others. For the Southeast Alaska 2025 herring season, a data collection app will again be used region wide. Next to Deadliest Catch, this makes for one of Mar 19, 2018 · The commercial sac roe herring fishery in Sitka Sound goes on two-hour notice tomorrow (Tuesday 3-20-18) at 7 a. 81′ N lat and east of 135°21. The court heard oral arguments on January 14 from attorneys representing the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, the state, and commercial fishing interests. The outcome could give Sitka’s Indigenous communities a larger role in Feb 9, 2025 · To wrap up the 13-day meeting meeting, the seven-member Board on Sunday voted on 20 proposals regarding harvest rules for commercial herring fisheries in Southeast, namely the Sitka Sound seine fishery for herring "sac roe" and the spawn-on-kelp herring fishery that takes place in the Craig/Klawock area. The exact time depends on the return of the migrating Pacific Herring, that congregate in the surrounding waters to spawn. The industry wants the current management plan to stay in place, while a local cohort calling 2025 SOUTHEAST ALASKA HERRING SPAWN-ON-KELP POUND FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN by Aaron Dupuis Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Sitka Scott Forbes Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Douglas Bo Meredith Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries Mar 18, 2021 · And this diversity in Herring spawn timing in Puget Sound was stable for 900 hundred years. Yesterday's catch has not yet been reported. The tribe filed a… We have long been fascinated with this part of the world and have visited Alaska many times to enjoy the wilderness, its biodiversity as well as its uniques indigenous cultures and history. They’ve all remained at 6 per day, with no annual limit for decades. Eric was the ADF&G Sitka Area Management Biologist who managed the challenging Sitka sac roe herring fishery, amongst other fisheries. Jun 2, 2022 · Roe herring from Alaska’s three largest fisheries produced record catches this spring but little interest from the one buyer. Area Image by Bethany Goodrich, Sustainable Southeast Partnership Sealaska supports the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) taking legal action against the Alaska State Fish and Game in response to its recently published 2019 herring harvest guidelines. Jan 23, 2025 · The Sitka Fish and Game Advisory Committee is recommending the Alaska Board of Fisheries close Promisla Bay to commercial herring fishing, reversing its previous vote on the proposal. Herring spawn also occurred in several other areas known to be commonly used for Mar 23, 2025 · The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery is now underway, with a four-hour opener yesterday and a nine-hour opener today. The herring fishery in Sitka is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you won’t want to miss. Mar 15, 2022 · Several proposals to make changes to the commercial sac roe herring fishery in Sitka Sound failed to win support from Alaska’s Board of Fisheries over the weekend. The harvest estimate from Monday’s fishery was approximately 650 tons of herring. That’s after participating processors gave the Alaska Department of Fish and Game the green light to share the data with the public. (Provided by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game) The area of Deep Inlet, Samsing Cove, Aleutkina Bay and contiguous waters south of 57°00. Two sets, conducted simultaneously at 7:30 a. Sitka is a small island located in Southeast Alaska, also known as the Inside Passage. Each year in the spring a magical wildlife spectacle occurs here around the spawning herring and we are headed there shortly to witness it. KCAW spoke with two commercial fishermen shortly before the fishery opened about the importance of herring to their businesses and lives. Contact ADF&G in Sitka if you need help signing up for advisory announcements. Weak markets and smaller-than-average fish — two factors in the premature closure of last year’s fishery — are being blamed for the move, along with new uncertainty over the spread of coronavirus in China. 150), Herring Management Plan for Southeastern Alaska Area (5 AAC 27. ADF&G is working to modernize data collection methods. Fisheries biologists began aerial surveys last week, and the state’s research vessel, the Kestrel, arrived in Sitka on Tuesday (3-18-25). Herring spawn in nearshore areas and deposit their adhesive eggs on intertidal and subtidal vegetation. I watched friends and strangers An opening of the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery occurred today from 8:00 a. SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY SUMMARY This announcement is a summary of observations and activities of the 2023 Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring fishery. Mar 22, 2025 · "Large schools of herring were concentrated north of the breakwater to northeast Kasiana Island, throughout Eastern and Promisla Bays, Crow Pass, and from Inner Point to Fred's Creek," the agency reported in Thursday afternoon's announcement regarding the springtime commercial sac roe seine herring fishery that occurs in Sitka Sound. (March 31, 2019) Photo courtesy of Vanessa Lane-Miller/Alaska Department of Fish and Game State fisheries biologists have set a guideline harvest level for the 2022 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery at 45,164 tons of mature herring, based on a forecast of the largest GHL ever set for that area. The subsistence harvest stands in stark comparison. Proposal 179 earned considerable support from Sitka’s subsistence community, but ultimately was rejected by the Board of Fish on a split vote. In April 1799 Overview Commercially exploitable quantities of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) occur in Alaska from its southern boundary at Dixon Entrance (55° N) to Norton Sound (64° N) (herring populations graphic). Rockfish and lingcod Apr 3, 2018 · The Sitka sac roe herring fishery has shut down early this year, falling 8,330 tons short of the 11,128 guideline harvest level. com's Peggy Parker RC# - Draft MOA between STA and ADFG for Sitka Sound Herring Consultation 2/6/2025 Background: Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) appreciates the goal of Proposal 190 to “provide for co- management of herring fisheries with tribal governments”. ADF&G announced late Friday that “broad Jan 5, 2024 · Alaska's herring fishery management system recently faced a challenge from the Sitka Tribe, which sued the ADF&G and the Alaska Board of Fisheries in 2018, alleging mismanagement was resulting in poor subsistence harvests of herring eggs. Herring are also valuable to the Southeast Alaska marine ecosystem as a food source for salmon, halibut, whales, sea lions, birds, and other species; these dependent species are also economically important New regulations and evolving tastes have led to a dip in Japanese consumption of herring eggs, or kazunoko. Herring Fishery. ” A captivating documentary from that era offers a nostalgic glimpse into the past, unraveling the technological and environmental challenges fishermen faced in predicting the unpredictable: the timing of the herring spawn. That’s because the Alaska Board of Fisheries is in town, reviewing over 100 finfish proposals. The once-abundant herring runs that sustained So… Feb 10, 2025 · 2025 Fishing Season Regulations Announced The regulations we fish under come from a few sources. The Sitka Sound herring fishery takes place in March and April every year in the sound of Sitka, Alaska. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, no herring spawn have been observed during aerial surveys but the R/V Kestrel, which has been surveying the sound since Tuesday, has recorded sightings. Wednesday, signaling seiners will have two hours to get ready for the first fishing period in this year’s commercial herring harvest. With an increased The Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery is famous, although very brief; the fishery takes place every March in the waters surrounding Sitka. Fishing continued today in an expanded area that included the Kruzof Island shoreline, with the catch of another 2,200 tons reported as of noon. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) manages the fishery and sets the harvest level based on its herring population projections for the year. 7 percent of the nearly 10,000 tons of herring pulled from Sitka Sound this season was the target mature roe. Lazaria Island to Krestof Sound. According to a release from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the fishery opened for 8 … An opening of the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery occurred today from 11:15 a. The combined harvests at Sitka, Kodiak and Togiak–should they be reached — add up to 118,346 short tons, or nearly 237 million pounds! However, except at Kodiak the catches fell far short of the quota. (Rachel Waldholz/KCAW) The Alaska Department of Fish and Doing Time in the Sitka Silver Mine One of the definitions of the word “mine” is: a rich source of supply. Of the total 85. 81′ N lat and east of 135°23. Humpback whales were observed throughout the surveyed area, with the largest concentrations located between Fred’s Creek and Hayward Strait. The GHL is Mar 21, 2014 · The Sitka herring fishery had its first opening yesterday afternoon. Dec 20, 2018 · Image by Bethany Goodrich, Sustainable Southeast Partnership Sealaska supports the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) taking legal action against the Alaska State Fish and Game in response to its recently published 2019 herring harvest guidelines. Jan 19, 2022 · The Alaska Department of Fish & Game on Friday (1-14-21) announced the largest-ever harvest guideline for the Sitka Sac Roe Herring fishery this spring – over 45,000 tons – but it’s unlikely that the market can accommodate that many fish. This meeting will be conducted via oom and is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, from 5:30 p. Fishermen use seine nets to capture large schools of Herring, and the eggs are harvested. Mar 26, 2025 · The state will share harvest data from the Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery after all. There was the most fish that I've ever seen or heard of!!! The total mileage of recorded spawn ended up being over 100 Apr 2, 2018 · the Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery in southeast Alaska occurs annually at the end of March. Smaller, scattered schools of herring were observed on the Kruzof Island shore from Inner Point to Kamenoi Point and in Eastern and Promisla Bays; most of the fish observed in these locations were in shallow water near the beaches. No herring or herring spawn were observed; herring predators were seen throughout the surveyed area. The total tally for the three roe herring fisheries came in at Mar 21, 2014 · The Sitka herring fishery had its first opening yesterday afternoon. No May 23, 2017 · The Sitka Sac Roe herring fishery happens every spring. In a broadcast on Channel 10 at 4 p. 6,174 likes · 1 talking about this. Approximately 3. Mar 20, 2024 · The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is set to commence on a two-hour notice starting at 8 a. Smaller communities include Pelican, Baranof Warm Springs and Port Alexander. But subsistence users are skeptical. Mar 30, 2023 · With large schools of herring located by sonar and desired quantities of mature roe detected in two test sets, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game opened the 2023 Sitka Sound sac roe fishery at 1:15 p. This is the fourth time in six years the herring fishery has Jan 20, 2022 · Early herring spawn event at Knowles Bay. Mar 31, 2025 · The Sitka Sound commercial sac roe herring fishery opened south of town at 8 a. to 6:00 p. Year unknown. They are arguably the most . State fishery managers point to research from Canada that suggests more caution is needed in setting harvest rates than the 20-percent target used up until now. According to a release from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the fishery opened for 8 hours on Saturday (3-27-21). Tuesday, the Department of Fish and Game announced … Jan 2, 2024 · The Sitka Tribe of Alaska has expressed concern about the impact of the commercial sac roe herring fishery on the health of the herring populaJon in Sitka Sound and the availability of subsistence herring eggs for decades. At a meeting the night before, Alaska Department of Fish and Game managers reviewed their plans for the fishery this year and discussed last year’s fishery and the results of spawn deposition surveys that they use to help determine the population size. Sitka Sound is renowned for its seafood, including herring and we're taking Mar 30, 2023 · The Alaska Department of Fish and Game completed aerial surveys of the Ketchikan and Sitka herring fisheries on March 29th. The herring sac roe fishery is a careful waiting game in order to harvest maximum quality mature roe, before the herring spawn. 93′ W long was opened from 9:00 a. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, in a recent announcement, detailed the success of the fishery's first opening of the year, which took place in Hayward Strait, lasting from Nov 22, 2019 · The extensive report also highlights threats posed by the current state management plan to the subsistence herring roe fishery in Sitka Sound. That means at any time after Apr 1, 2024 · Sitka seiners share the catch; no herring buyers at Kodiak and Togiak Seining for herring at Sitka Sound several years ago A small fleet of seiners has been targeting the largest harvest ever at Sitka Sound since the fishery opened on March 22. (Heather Bauscher/KCAW) The Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery will go on two-hour notice on Thursday morning, March 23. com A new study is recommending major changes to the way the State of Alaska manages the sac roe herring fishery in Sitka Sound and is predicting dire outcomes for the ancient subsistence herring Mar 6, 2020 · For Louise Brady, herring are more than just fish that spawn in Sitka Sound each spring. Local subsistence harvesters won an increase in the size of their exclusive use area, but failed to persuade the board to reduce the commercial catch. On several occasions, the Board of Fisheries (BOF) has asked Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) to remove Sitka Sound from Northern Southeast Herring Spawn-on-Kelp Pound fishery administrative area, so that you might consider providing Southeast Roe Herring Purse Seiners the option to utilize open pounds. Sea lions were concentrated near rockpiles between Fred’s Management plans which apply to harvest in the herring sac roe fisheries include: Management guidelines for commercial herring sac roe fisheries (5 AAC 27. commercial fishery employs purse seine nets and power skiffs to harvest thousands of tons of herring each year. 09′ W long. ADF&G announced late Friday that “broad An opening of the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery occurred today from 12:30 p. m. ’ In other words, a high harvest rate on a relatively small population inhibits the ability of the population to rapidly recover from popu Mar 30, 2016 · SITKA — Fish and Game closed the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery Monday, with more than 4,600 tons left to catch in the quota. Random samples of herring were collected Dec 20, 2018 · Sealaska supports the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) taking legal action against the Alaska State Fish and Game in response to its recently published 2019 herring harvest guidelines. In that regard, it seems that Alaska is a fish mine for many, with plentiful fish available to harvest and enjoy. Southeast Alaska & Yakutat 2025 Southeast Alaska Herring Summary (PDF 260 kB) - 5/28/25 2025 Ketchikan Herring Fishery Update # 12 (PDF 278 kB) - 4/3/25 Sitka Sound Herring Fishery Update # 18 (PDF 388 kB) - 4/2/25 2025 Ketchikan Herring Fishery Update # 10 (PDF 269 kB) - 4/1/25 Alaska Peninsula Management Area Feb 14, 2025 · The maximum harvest level for Sitka’s commercial herring fishery has been reduced, despite recent increases in the biomass. That’s according to a statement released Friday (2-28-20) by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. dye@sealaska. The industry wants the current management plan to stay in place, while a local cohort calling Jan 9, 2020 · Harvey Kitka, a retired elder who chairs the Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s herring committee, says the Alaska Board of Fisheries should be more conservative in management of the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, which have great cultural significance to the people of Southeast Alaska. The department works with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) to monitor the subsistence herring egg harvest. The Sitka Sound is home to the largest spawning population of Pacific herring in Southeast Alaska and is a critical site for the subsistence harvest of herring roe on hemlock branches and kelp. In March of 2021 I was laying on my couch, miserably puking through my first trimester of pregnancy. Starting in 1963 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) began conducting aerial surveys in the Craig/Hydaburg and Sitka areas, which were later expanded to other important herring spawning areas. As it does every year, the fishery brought a fleet of seiners to town, and drew residents to the waterfront to watch the high speed derby unfold in front of them. During aerial surveys this Monday morning (4-1-24), the Alaska Department of Fish and Game observed around 10 nautical miles of spawn in Hayward Strait Sheet’ká, or Sitka, is one of the last places where herring eggs — a critical cultural food for Indigenous communities — can be harvested in Southeast Alaska. The GHL is based on a 20% harvest rate of an age-structured analysis (ASA) forecast of 406,228 tons of mature herring biomass. SITKA SOUND SAC ROE HERRING FISHERY The Sitka Sound sac roe fishing area encompasses the waters of Section 13-B north of the latitude of Aspid Cape and in Section 13-A south of the latitude of Point Kakul in Salisbury Sound. The maximum GHL reduction for each registered open pound is 200 Mar 19, 2018 · By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery will go on two-hour notice starting 7 a. Survey conditions were good with partly cloudy skies and 5-knot winds. Photo courtesy of Harvey Kitka All signs point to a robust forecast for the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery Sitka Sound is home to the largest spawning population of Pacific herring in Southeast Alaska and is a critical site for the subsistence harvest of herring roe on hemlock branches and kelp. The 8,712 ton quota is down by half from last year and the lowest Sitka catch since 2003. The Sitka Tribe of Alaska has retained a major Anchorage law firm that specializes in tribal advocacy and subsistence issues. Mar 11, 2022 · As testimony unfolded on Day 2 of the Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting, subsistence advocates countered the state's position that there were more herring than ever, by saying that the large volume of fish had become inaccessible. 2 million pounds) out of the 30,124 ton catch limit (60. Sitka, Alaska is home to the sac roe herring fishery, which occurs every spring as herring come back to spawn in the pristine waters Mar 22, 2024 · The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery opened March 22 with an estimated 9,905 tons of herring harvested as of March 30. Mar 29, 2009 · that fishery is insane. The survey flight conducted on March 12 covered Sitka Sound from Eastern Channel to Biorka Island and from St. to 6 sistence fishery to harvest the amount of roe necessary for subsistence uses. Mar 23, 2015 · By the time you read this, Alaska’s first roe herring fishery at Sitka Sound could be just about over. The roe herring fishery at Kodiak is going fast. The region had a 2024 record available harvest of 81,246 tons, or 163 million pounds. 20 herring proposals – presentation will focus on pertinent issues Sitka Sound: Harvest rate strategy (Proposals 171-177) Apr 3, 2025 · Only two processors — Silver Bay Seafoods and Icy Strait Seafoods — are processing herring in Sitka this year, compared to five processors last season Nov 22, 2019 · Study calls on state to reform management of Sitka Sound roe fishery Juneau, Alaska Date of Press Release: November 22, 2019 Report cover image. The initial open area for this fishery included the waters of Hayward Strait and Krestof Sound south of 57°11. Coho, pink, chum salmon are good examples. Mar 27, 2025 · SITKA — Seiners scooped up sets of maturing herring on Saturday and Sunday as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game opened this year’s commercial sac roe herring fishery in waters off the east shore of Kruzof Island from Shoals Point north to Mountain Point, and extending east to 135 degrees 32 minutes west longitude. Mar 19, 2021 · Processors, fishermen, and stakeholders in the Sitka Sac Roe herring fishery met for a pre-season meeting on Friday morning (3-19-21) to discuss the commercial fishery, which goes on two-hour notice this weekend. Bri Dwyer photo. F&G said surveys continue in the process of locating schools of marketable fish in areas suitable for an openi Mar 14, 2024 · Herring roe ripens as the fish get ready to spawn; their small, white, hard eggs become golden, larger and more desirable. 190), Sitka Sound commercial sac roe herring Mar 19, 2024 · The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery goes on two hour notice on March 20 at 8 a. For example, Chinook salmon are the largest but least abundant of all salmon in North America. , as stated in field announcement on VHF channel 10. Both the Division of Subsistence and Sitka Tribe of Alaska would like to thank the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, for funding the 2002, 2003, and 2006 Sitka herring roe harvest survey. Herring are also valuable to the Southeast Alaska marine ecosystem as a food source for salmon, halibut, whales, sea lions, birds, and other species; these dependent species are also economically important Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery. VHS, DV, and High-Definition Video from Sitka Alaska. This forecast is a 39% increase from the model estimate of Apr 1, 2025 · AK's largest roe herring fishery at Togiak was already called off due to the lack of buyers. No herring schools or spawn were observed today. The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted the new strategy – to mixed reviews – at its meeting in Ketchikan SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY ANNOUNCEMENT The guideline harvest level (GHL) for the 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 81,246 tons with a forecasted average weight of 120 grams across all age classes. Apr 4, 2018 · The Sitka sac roe herring fishery has shut down early this year, falling 8,330 tons short of this year’s guideline harvest level. 24′ N lat, north of 57°08. The Sitka fishery opened on March 28 and ended on April 7. in Hayward Strait. That’s according to a statement released last week by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  The second opening was Tuesday afternoon (3/24) for another 15 minutes. Numerous samples of herring were collected Herring spawn was observed daily from March 23 to March 30 within the area closed to commercial fishing by regulation (commonly referred to as the “core subsistence area”). Mar 20, 2023 · The 2022 Sitka fishery, which ran from March 26 to April 10, had the largest quota ever at 45,164 tons (90. Aug 19, 2024 · Efforts to decolonize the herring roe harvest in Alaska highlight the contrast between tribal subsistence practices and the Department of Fish and Game’s management strategy. We began in 2007 as a single salmon processing facility in Sitka, Alaska and has grown to one of the largest seafood companies in Alaska, operating thirteen domestic processing facilities throughout Alaska and the West Coast. 195 Sitka Sound commercial sac roe herring fishery, add a section (c) to include open pounding in the Sitka area for all Northern Southeast Herring Pond Permit holders. Historic and contemporary commercial fisheries have severely depleted yaaw in Sitka Sound and Mar 29, 2021 · After a week on two-hour notice, the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery opened twice over the weekend. Back in March I booked a cabin on Kruzof Island in hopes that the timing would be right to catch the first herring spawn of the season; instead, we had front row seats on the first days of the commercial fishery while the spawn started up right by town. May 16, 2022 · The statewide ex-vessel herring revenues, meanwhile, have fallen from a record $55 million in 1988 to $5 million in recent years, and the fishery at Sitka contributes the lion’s share of that value. 25 million pounds). 32 million pounds). That, combined with historically low herring prices, has fewer boats fishing and they are doing so as a co-op. (Rachel Waldholz/KCAW) After a week on two-hour notice, the Feb 3, 2025 · The Alaska Board of Fisheries is meeting in Ketchikan to consider changes to Southeast Alaska’s fisheries. In a press release on Friday (3-22-24) afternoon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced the first opening for the fishery this year had lasted an hour, from 4 to 5 p. The Sitka Sound "biomass" is a remnant herring spawning population/area that once happened throughout all of Southeast Alaska. Current market conditions demand herring with an average weight of 110 grams, which is typical of an age-5 or age-6 herring, but this year the overall estimated biomass of 166,425 tons is for age-4 herring, with an anticipated average weight of 92 grams Clyde Curry PO Box 572 Petersburg, AK 99833 January 20th, 2018 Chair John Jensen and Board of Fish members, My name is Clyde Curry, and I was there before the Sitka herring sac roe fishery got started. But we won't see any combat this year. Mar 29, 2021 · A home owned newspaper serving Sitka, AlaskaAfter a week on two-hour notice, the fishery opened at 10:30 a. Feb 14, 2018 · Despite three days of impassioned testimony before the Board of Fisheries in January, not much has changed for the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, which will ramp up in about a month. No herring schools or spawn were observed today; herring predators were Aug 29, 2022 · The Sitka Tribe of Alaska is fighting to protect the Pacific herring, challenging the idea of what it means to manage a fishery sustainably. John Baptist Bay, Eastern Bay, Sandy Cove, Redoubt Bay, and near Frosty […] Oct 13, 2024 · Photos from Brent's Beach cabin, March '24. The annual GHL for the Sitka Sound commercial sac roe herring fishery shall be reduced by dividing the current years GHL by the number of CFEC permits eligible to participate in the G01A fishery, multiplying that total by the number of permit holders registered to fish open pound gear and then subtracting that total from the GHL. May 22, 2025 · Alaska’s commercial herring fisheries are under evaluation for a Responsible Fishery Management eco-certification that could boost sales and harvest of herring, says the state-run Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute that commissioned the RFM SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY SUMMARY This announcement is a summary of observations and activities of the 2025 Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery. This forecast is 26% less than the model estimate of the SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY UPDATE # 1 Aerial surveys have begun for the 2025 Sitka Sound herring season. Between 2001 and 2009, the Tribe worked to address these concerns with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In 2012, the Board of Fish responded to the Tribe’s concerns Jun 15, 2010 · In the world famous Sitka Herring Fishery, 50 of the most highly experienced fishermen go head to head for their million dollar catches of herring. The subsistence fishery for the spawn of Pacific herring Clupea pallasii in Sitka Sound was historically, and remains, important to Alaska residents. Many of our regulations don’t change from year to year. SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY UPDATE # 2 Aerial surveys were conducted daily from March 15 to March 17. Jan 31, 2020 · The tribal lawsuit over herring in Sitka Sound boiled down to one question this week: Does the management of the commercial seine fishery still allow residents a “reasonable opportunity” to Dec 18, 2018 · In December, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced they anticipate a spawning mass of 64,000 tons of herring in Sitka Sound, around 9,000 more pounds than was originally predicted Department and industry vessels surveying Sitka Sound on April 1 located very large schools of herring in the shallower waters of southern Krestof Sound. Apr 10, 2020 · The Sitka Tribe of Alaska has won a round in its longstanding lawsuit against the state over the management of the Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery. Dec 6, 2016 · Fish and Game estimates that 10. When making this determination, the department considered: 1) vessel surveys conducted by the department beginning on March 18 indicated that there is a very large biomass of herring distributed throughout Sitka Sound; 2) schools of herring were observed within Feb 6, 2020 · The tribal lawsuit over herring in Sitka Sound boiled down to one question this week: Does the management of the commercial seine fishery still allow residents a “reasonable opportunity” to harvest enough spawn for subsistence? Attorneys for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the Alaska Department of Fish & Game offered polar opposite views on the issue, during oral arguments January 28, 2020 Apr 14, 2023 · The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has officially closed the 2023 Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery. But surprisingly we have never visited Sitka before. In oral arguments before Judge Daniel Schally last January, counsel for the Tribe claimed that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game was not allowing for a "reasonable opportunity" to harvest the amount of herring spawn necessary for Mar 29, 2022 · Bruce Marifern’s Freedom wraps up a 230-ton set in Hayward Strait, with Alaskan Girl pumping, on day two of the Sitka sac roe herring fisher. 76′ W long (Figure 2). Mar 26, 2024 · The Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery opened for a second time over the weekend and again on Monday. as stated in field announcement on VHF channel 10. This is based on a 20% harvest rate of an age struc ured analysis (ASA) forecast of 225,820 tons of Mar 18, 2016 · The commercial herring season opened Thursday, more abruptly than in past years. Mar 31, 2025 · The commercial fishery opened twice over the weekend. Jul 14, 2020 · Herring stocks in Sitka Sound are on the rebound, according to state scientists tracking the data. KTUU visitis Sitka Alaska to see the herring fishing Apr 17, 2023 · Herring biomass was among the highest in 50 years Seining for herring at Sitka Sound Early estimates peg the total commercial harvest at Sitka Sound at just under 11,000 short tons (24. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council handles halibut. I traveled there on self assignment to photograph the last half of a very unique commercial fishery – Sitka Sound herring sac roe. Sep 30, 2024 · A box of North American herring egg skeins in Toyosu Market in Tokyo, priced at ¥4,700 (yen) per kilo, or about $32 USD in 2024 (KCAW/Rose) “So after that [the] Japanese market started looking at the herring resources overseas,” Hamada says. Tlingit oral history is rich with stories of the abundance and importance of herring. The GHL is based on a 20% harvest rate of an age-structured analysis (ASA) forecast of 150,617 tons of mature herring biomass. In less than a week, the fleet has caught over half of its quota. Mar 24, 2022 · Vessels have been flocking to the Sitka Sound in preparation for the sac roe herring fishery which went on two hour notice Tuesday morning. Millions of pounds of AK's herring catches are ground up and dumped every year. Mar 28, 2025 · The arrival of herring at Sitka Sound signals the start of spring in Alaska, but the fishery that began there on March 22 has attracted little notice or interest. The State of Alaska oversees all the rest. The commercial fishery for herring sac roe has been occurring over the past week, and here in the Division of Subsistence, we are gearing up for our annual trip to Sitka for the subsistence herring egg harvest. Jan 20, 2021 · A Juneau Superior Court judge will decide whether the state has met its constitutional obligation for subsistence, in the management of the Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery. This forecast is a 9% decrease from the model Mar 18, 2025 · The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is looking for herring in Sitka Sound ahead of the Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery. Tuesday in designated areas south of town in Leesoffskaia and Aleutkina bays and Deep Inlet. The proposed action would provide consistency in the management and regulation of herring populations throughout Southeast Alaska. 47′ N lat, north of 57°07. But how does this work translate to current concerns over the future of herring in Sitka Sound? Currently, the commercial sac roe herring fishery in Sitka Sound is managed as a single stock. As for the traditional fishery, open skiffs have replaced wooden tribal canoes but other than that the annual harvest of herring Mar 20, 2024 · Back in 1987, the Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery was the crown jewel of the industry, hailed as the “Million Dollar Fishery. Mar 24, 2017 · The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is in full swing. Feb 5, 2025 · Last year, the allowable herring harvest, or Guideline Harvest Level (GHL], in Sitka’s commercial herring fishery was set at a record-breaking high at just over 80,000 tons. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game declared the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery open at 1:45 p. Feb 5, 2020 · Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery Feb 5, 2020󰞋󱟠 It's with heavy hearts we share with you that Eric Coonradt has passed away. Most of these areas have been monitored by ADF&G since at least the 1970s. Fishermen and processors from Petersburg joined with Silver Bay Seafoods is an integrated processor of frozen salmon, herring, whitefish and squid products for domestic and export markets. That fishery opened on Mar 29, 2024 · The 2024 sac roe herring fishing season in the US state of Alaska kicked off on March 22 in Sitka with a guideline harvest level of 81,246 short tons (73,705 metric tons) amid an ample supply from Mar 12, 2019 · I grew up in Pelican and Sitka in Southeast Alaska, where the annual arrival of herring is a staple of spring. According to a release from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the fishery opened for 8 Apr 4, 2024 · The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery continued Tuesday, with purse seine boats making sets in Neva Straight and Salisbury Sound to the north, and in Deep Inlet, Redoubt Bay and a stretch of outside waters to the south, the Department of Fish and Game said. i wouldn't know from personal experience, but i've read about it in National Fisherman. today with fewer than three boats participating, as the major buyer has filled its quota for the season. The emergency order corresponding with today’s This years Sitka Sac Roe Herring season was such a gentlemanly fishery. The emergency order corresponding with today’s opening is EO 1H0823. Mar 4, 2020 · The Sitka Sound herring fishery will likely not open again this season, but at least this year it did not involve boats gearing up, traveling to Sitka and spending many thousands of dollars only to sit idle for several weeks and then going home empty handed, as happened last year. u2028 u2028 Thank you for reading! Jun 21, 2022 · Fishing for herring in Sitka Sound. Prior to and during fishing periods, herring distribution, abundance, and quality of roe are monito Mar 22, 2023 · The Sitka Sac roe herring fishery in 2018. Mar 6, 2018 · The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is known for aggressive skippers willing to grind hulls in pursuit of a big and rich haul. One of the major battles concerns the future of the Sitka sac roe herring fishery. Wildlife is generally abundant as the herring gather and spawn in Sitka waters, turning the blue Alaska waters a milky green! Check with Alaska Department of Fish and Game for further specific date information. 97′ N lat, and west of 135°30. Fishing was closed by field order at 2:32 p. 75′ W long (Figure 2). Listen now The following symbols and abbreviations, and others approved for the Système International d'Unités (SI), are used without definition in the following reports by the Divisions of Sport Fish and of Commercial Fisheries: Fishery Manuscripts, Fishery Data Series Reports, Fishery Management Reports, and Special Publications.  (Poundage unknown at this time) Comments are closed. " This means the industry will harvest the herring using far fewer boats, splitting Mar 25, 2025 · March 25, 2025 Herring Runs You know herring as the spinning bait on the end of your line to entice salmon, but they’re also a cornerstone species in the North Pacific, converting phytoplankton and zooplankton into protein and forming a vital link in the food chain that feeds countless fish, mammals, and birds. until 12:45 p. Regulations Recorded Announcements: For recorded fishery information in Southeast Alaska please see the Southeast Contacts page. Spawning begins as early as late March in southern Southeast Alaska and continues Mar 27, 2024 · Over the weekend, the Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery reopened for the second and third times this season, following an initial opening last Friday. Nov 19, 2024 · The Sitka Advisory Committee considered over a dozen herring proposals over two meetings in November, in order to deliver its recommendations to the Alaska Board of Fisheries before that group gathers in the new year to set regulations. It re-opened on Sunday morning at 10:45 and closed at 6 p. This is why the Sitka Sound herring fishery is consider[ed] to be impacted by a ‘shifting baseline. Morning sun over Sitka Sound; newly-woke bear-prints on the beach; whales blowing. All others, including deviations from definitions listed below, are Jan 2, 2025 · "Vessel surveys conducted by the department beginning on March 18 indicated that there is a very large biomass of herring distributed throughout Sitka Sound," Fish and Game said today. then they schedule an opening that sometimes lasts minutes. Tom Thornton, a dean and vice provost at the University of Alaska Southeast, authored the study, which was designed and funded by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Another would have allowed permit holders to opt for an alternative way to harvest herring eggs for market. on March 20, as announced by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). 5 AAC 27. 20′ N lat, south of 56°52. 7 nmi of herring spawn was mapped within this area. The Alaska Departme eting to review and discuss the 2025 Sitka Sound herring commercial fishery. That's because the fishery's 48 seine permit holders have notified the state that they have agreed to a "cooperative/equal split fishery. Use the selectors in the map below to show survey data by year (2020- Sitka Feb 18, 2025 · Silver Bay Seafoods is pressing ahead with this year’s roe herring operation in Alaska’s Sitka to ‘support harvesters,’ even as other processors scale back or exit due to weak demand and Apr 5, 2018 · The Sitka sac roe herring fishery has shut down early this year, falling 8,330 tons short of this year’s guideline harvest level. According to an announcement Sunday afternoon (3-30-25) from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, over 900 tons of herring were harvested on Saturday. The Southeast Herring Conservation Alliance, an advocacy group for commercial seiners, intervened on the side of the state. Numerous Apr 10, 2024 · A small fleet of seiners at Sitka Sound ended the roe herring fishery on April 5 after several openers that kicked off on March 22. Boats came from around the region for the commercial herring sac roe (roe in their egg cases) fishery near Sitka, sometimes jockeying for multi-million dollar hauls within sight of town while small planes buzzed overhead, spotting herring shoals Mar 21, 2024 · The Department of Fish and Game placed the Sitka Sound sac roe fishery on two-hours notice as of 8 a. estimates of unfished biomass and other considerations identified below. But subsistence users are skeptical: What herring Allowable harvest levels of Pacific herring in Sitka Sound are prescribed using a threshold management strategy, wherein the fishery is closed if the estimated biomass falls below a certain threshold level , and a variable harvest rate is used at and above the threshold The department last calculated a threshold level for Sitka Sound herring (16,759 . Commercial Herring Fisheries Historical Herring Spawn Locations in Southeast Alaska The following video clips depict shoreline where herring spawn was observed at several of the prominent herring spawning areas in Southeast Alaska. (KCAW File Photo) As the summer fishing season gets underway in Sitka, the memory of Apr 7, 2021 · State management of the herring fishery has been the subject of ongoing litigation in the courts for two years now, with the Sitka Tribe arguing that subsistence harvests of herring roe are not The first opening of the Sitka sac roe herring fishery was on Sunday (3/22) for 15 minutes with approximately 2700 tons of herrring caught. Roughly Mar 25, 2025 · Sitka’s commercial herring fishery is smaller this year, and that means fishery reports from the state will be restricted. Saturday, located herring with more than 11 percent mature roe near Lisianski Point and the Jul 15, 2020 · After two seasons without a commercial fishery, herring stocks in Sitka Sound are on the rebound, according to state scientists tracking the data. Apr 7, 2021 · The Sitka Sound Sac Roe Herring Fishery opened in late March, after a two-year hiatus. The 48-member fleet fished for nearly two weeks this year, catching 14,000 tons – or roughly 20% – of the herring population. But whenever fishing opens, it won’t be the full-throttle race to the grounds as in past years. , Area Management Mar 10, 2020 · When it comes to markets for Alaska herring, size matters, and for that reason odds of a Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery in 2020 are slim. That means a fishery could be opened at any time by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game with two hours notice to commercial fishermen. Cultu Image by Bethany Goodrich, Sustainable Southeast Partnership Sealaska supports the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) taking legal action against the Alaska State Fish and Game in response to its recently published 2019 herring harvest guidelines. As markets for herring change, the community is re-evaluating the herring fishery. Mar 4, 2020 · The Sitka Sac Roe Herring Fishery likely won’t happen this year. Mar 13, 2025 · ArcGIS DashboardsAlaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) assesses the abundance of herring stocks annually using a variety of methods including aerial surveys. On W Jan 16, 2018 · The parking lot at Harrigan Centennial Hall in Sitka is packed to the gills. SITKA SOUND HERRING FISHERY ANNOUNCEMENT The guideline harvest level (GHL) for the 2025 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery is 36,720 tons with a forecasted average weight of 122 grams across all age classes. The GHL is based on a 20% harvest rate of an age-structured assessment (ASA) model forecast of 183,599 tons of mature herring biomass. As a child it was especially exciting. SITKA SOUND SAC ROE HERRING FISHERY The Sitka Sound sac roe fishing area encompasses the waters of Section 13-B north of the latitude of Aspid Cape, and in Section 13-A south of the latitude of Point Kakul in Salisbury Sound. 1yfrp7r fs0b b1j 1gej v94l kzxvom yim ojajc9c oafhw aur